Fun, Fun And A Little Angst
by manie88
Summary: Another take on the beginning. Starts off from the car scene in the Pilot and into its own direction from there. A healthy balance of LoVe banter & drama.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"You know what your little prank cost me?"

Ah, Logan Echolls. With his eyes firecracker bright and his lips curled into that darling evildoer smirk, I already knew that the tire jack in his hands wasn't there because he just wrapped up being a Good Samaritan a few minutes ago.

"Well, your bong."

And my wit cost me a headlight. And I really liked that headlight.

"Eeehnn" he makes a buzzing noise. "Wanna guess again?"

"Clearly your sense of your humor."

_Yeah, and mine just cost me my other headlight. Aw, darn it was my second favorite._

"Nope. You'd think you, of all people, would be able to connect the dots, Veronica Mars. Hmm maybe I need to get you a magnifying glass for Christmas." He contemplates out loud, pausing to dent my ill-fated Le Baron. "Every good detective has one."

"Well now I have something to live for until December."

"Oh don't _not_ swallow rat poison on my account."

"What can I say, Logan? You're my one true reason to keep on truckin'"

"My car." And suddenly he shifted gears.

"My beloved T-Bird is what it cost me. And you know what I won't be having for some time, now?"

He inched closer to me in a manner I think was supposed to be menacing. This was considerably lessened by the fact that I could smell his afternoon cheeseburger on his breath.

"_Fun, fun, fun_."

"I'm genuinely disheartened by your plight."

"Well, I'm guessing that your little crackerjack prize getting all roughed up hasn't helped." He smiles, cocking his head "Sorry about that. My hand slipped."

"Oh don't worry. What really concerns me is that you'll have to ride your bike to school everyday."

"Well seeing as your car is… indisposed. I'm guessing you're gonna need to ride in my basket."

"I'll walk"

"Just as well," he smirks and glances at his toadies to indicate he's about to say something clever. "Who knows how many baskets you've ridden in already…"

_Ah, I see. It's a euphemism. How clever._

"You know what they say. You let one worldly gal touch your basket and you're touching all the baskets she's sat in…"

His buddies chuckled moronically and he basked in their approval like a kitten in the sunlight.

"Geddit? Geddit? Cuz you're a whore."

Okay, so I don't usually let Logan Echolls get to me. But there was a weird combination of the grin on his face, and the pack of 09ers chuckling on my account in the presence of my new buddy, Wallace, that left me feeling quite miffed.

Oh and the fact that he was shamelessly destroying my car.

So, okay, yeah I broke out the taser. And I gave him a teeny tiny jolt of electricity.

"Geddit? Geddit? Cuz you're a jackass."

"FUCK!" He buckled over, his eyes shut in pain and suddenly I felt very sorry. "Good God, woman have you gone completely mental!"

"Says the guy wailing on my car!"

"Hey, what _I_ had was a car! This little piece of shit, you got out of a Big Kid's Meal."

"Mighty Kids Meal, I'll have you know."

"I hate you."

"Bite me."

"I think I'd rather not. I was hoping to avoid VD this year."

"Then I recommend slapping on a condom before cuddling with Dick Casablancas tonight."

"Hey…" Dick chimes in from the pack "Dick's aaaaaall about the vaginas, baby…"

Logan didn't respond. Instead he opted to silently glare at me. Had he been a half a notch lower on the evolution scale, I'm pretty sure he would have growled.

Ah but being the civilized human being he was, he just abruptly flung the tire jack through my windshield.

"Oops." No playful smirk. Just a guy who hates me.

"Somebody needs his Midol."

"Here," he mumbled, pulling out his wallet and handing me a credit card. "This should cover the repairs. And heck, go ahead and buy yourself a pretty little push-up bra."

"I don't want this," I replied, handing it back to him. He smirked and flicked it into the air.

It landed by my feet and he said, "Make it pink."

Walking away, he derisively added, "You look good in pink."

And they all hopped into Dick's mom's SUV and drove off into the setting sun.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thanks for the reviews guys. Oh and I'm new to so I don't know how to allow anonymous reviews… any help? Anyway, hope you guys like.**

**Chapter 2**

Jason Bates has switched high schools five times in the past three years. He is a Sagittarius and likes seafood, thunderstorms, and Adam Sandler movies. Jason Bates looks like what Brad Pitt's and Josh Hartnett's secret lovechild would be. Jason Bates is the heir to the grand Bates Hotel legacy, just as his father, Jason Bates Sr., was before him. It seems his father wants his own legacy though and is currently under the process of setting up a line of Bates Fitness Centers. His insistence on heavy involvement in each new franchise has resulted in their frequent moves.

Jason Bates is disheartened by this, seeing as it keeps him from fostering close relationships, particularly one with a girl.

This got a resounding _Awww_ from the banshees.

It's not that Jason Bates seems like he's all that into talking about himself, but the vultures at my lunch table really want to know all about Jason Bates.

If ever there's a time that I'm hoping a sniper is aiming for me somewhere in the crowd, I hope it's right now.

"So, Logan, right?"

"Yeah?"

"What's Aaron Echolls like in real life? He seems like a really cool guy…"

"Oh he's a peach."

I think Jason Bates got the idea that I wasn't in a rush to make him a BFF bracelet and returned to appeasing the she-wolves.

And then Veronica Mars walked by, I suppose to get a whiff of Duncan.

Okay the guy is my best friend but frankly, I'm missing whatever's there that's so damn hard to get over.

But she can't seem to do it so as she walked by all nonchalant like, I stuck my foot out also all nonchalant like and she fell. Poor girl got moldy lasagna all over her pink Care Bears T-shirt that juxtaposed so nicely with her edgy black nail polish. Aw.

The banshees shrieked with delight and Duncan rolled his eyes at me, but Jason Bates, ever the bleeding heart, frowned and began to help her up.

"Dude…" he mumbled my way and turned to smile at her. "You okay?"

"Mhhm," she replied, smiling back and dusting herself off. "But I guess I'm going hungry."

"Hey you're welcome to some of my rotting lunch if—"

"I don't want to interrupt the Joanie loves Chachie moment or anything but a word of caution, Veronica. You really should watch where you're going."

"You know what I like about you, Logan?" she retorted, cocking her head to the side.

"My wit, my charm, my boots?" I said, indicating to the foot she tripped on. "The way I sip my tea… ah, my boyish good looks!"

"Your consistency… you know, as the villain in my life."

She walked off and Jason Bates grabbed his books and a handful of napkins and followed her.

"Sorry ladies," I shrugged "Looks like Golden Boy has a crush on Veronica Mars."

"Looks like a lot of people are crushing on Veronica Mars these days," Duncan noted, biting into his egg roll.

Madison Sinclair looked confused and asked what he meant. Duncan simply shrugged and took another bite.

Every Friday this month we're given Library time to research the reference books for the heinous Hemingway research paper.

There she was alone at a table working on her bibliography cards when I plopped down by her with a tug of a pigtail. Honestly, who does their hair in pigtails anymore?

"So Veronica Mars, my bestest friend; the prettiest girl in the whole wide world…"

"So Logan Echolls, my favorite psychotic jackass, the most cretinous and irritiating guy in whole wide world…"

"Someone's been preparing for the SATs."

"Someone's been eating glue."

"I eat crayons, I'll have you know," I replied and flashed her my best nice guy smile. "So you're in my Pre-Calc class…"

"Oh nothing gets by you."

"And being the diligent, Suzie Highschool that you are, I'm assuming you did the homework due next period…"

"Well, you assume correctly, yet you still make an ass out of you."

"So can I borrow the homework?"

"This is Honors English, Logan. _May_ you borrow the homework?"

"Yeah, whatever."

She quirked an eyebrow and smiled expectantly.

"_May_ I?"

"What?"

I scoffed and shook my head at the pesky blonde one. "May I borrow the homework?"

"_Uumm_, no."

"Logan, Veronica! Hey guys…"

Jason Bates. 

"This is weird, Logan. We have, like, identical schedules. For some reason I didn't think you were the studious type…"

_Was that a dig?_

"Oh, he's not," Veronica spoke for me. "He just has a way of weaseling his way into honors classes."

_Okay. That was a dig._

"And someday into her panties. I'll excuse the two of you."

And I left them to an awkward silence and walked toward the reference shelf.

"Subtext is not your forte, buddy," I greeted Duncan as he shoved his French book into his bag.

"And forming a normal sentence isn't yours," he zipped up his bag and slung it on his shoulder. "Incidentally, what the hell are you talking about?"

"The little thing you let slip by at lunch. About you having a thing for Veronica—and just a refresher dude, that's not cool in California. I mean, I know she might not be your sister but she—"

"DUDE!" he hissed, punching me on the arm. "First of all, remind me the next time I'm about to disclose something, to just not do it cuz you'll run your idiot mouth off in school."

"And second of all?"

"And second of all, I wasn't talking about me. I was talking about you, dumbass."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thanks for the reviews guys. Oh and thanks for the help SpikesDreamer and smilefortina -) This chapter is kind of short but I'll try to update soon. Tonight or tomorrow with more L/V interaction coming up. Hope you like. **

**Chapter 3**

"Dude, are you cracked! The girl's the very bane of my existence. And that's really saying something man cuz I got plenty of banes—I've got banes up the wazoo!"

"Relax, man. I'm just messin' with you."

"Really?"

"No."

"Okay, you're nuts," I told Duncan and started heading towards my locker while the hallways were emptying and people were heading home.

"Look, man. It's all right with me if you are…" he said, following me.

"I'm sorry, did I happen to traipse into the Twilight Zone sometime after 6th period today? Do you not remember what this girl's done to us?"

"No I don't, what—"

"Her father accused yours of murdering your sister, for starters? _My girlfriend!_ Or did you forget that while you were playing matchmaker?"

"Hey, I don't want you to like her. Actually my life would be a lot easier if she'd just evaporate or something but seeing as that's not gonna happen, maybe you could get over your little crush and stop picking on her."

I turned the dial on my locker. "What it makes you feel guilty?"

"To be honest, yeah," he shrugged, furrowing his brow "She was our friend once, Logan. Things got messed up but I don't know how to deal with them either… I just don't want to have to be responsible for making her miserable. So if you're doing this on my account, don't."

I opened my locker to find an envelope shoved in there and found my credit card inside it.

_What an ungrateful little…_

"Look, Logan—"

"I'm not doing this on your account, Duncan. Rest easy, I gotta go."

I started to walk down the hall and he just shrugged and headed towards the main doors.

(—)

Veronica Mars stood bent over, her perky little ass in the air as she tried to shove the Pre-calc textbook into her messenger bag, grunting with the effort.

"Tell me. Is it hard on your back spending so much of your life in that position?"

She gave a startled little squeal and shot straight up, her cheeks flushed. "Is it hard—"

"Oh why yes it is. But then it always is when I'm around you."

Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, she sighed and scowled at me.

"Go ahead. You were about to say something clever," I offered.

"No. Never mind. You ruined it. Much like the rest of my life."

"Well on that note," I raised my hand with the card wedged in between two fingers. "I was wondering if I could see the push up bra I bought you… is it pink like I requested?"

She rolled her eyes. "I didn't use your card, Logan. You know I didn't."

"Yeah, I do. And I was just wondering why."

She replied with a scoff, and turned to try to fit her book in the bag again, this time standing up and declining me the pleasure of leering.

Hey, I know I don't like her, but I'm still a red-blooded American boy, after all.

"You know, pride isn't a good color on you."

Flinging her bag on her shoulder, she decided to carry the book and slammed her locker shut. "And orange isn't a good color on you."

I bunched up my sweatshirt and looked as I followed her outside. "What? This? I always thought it bought out the rosy hue in my cheeks…"

"No it brings out the asshat on your head. Oh, wait. That's just your look."

"Hey," I grabbed her arm and stuck the card in a corner pocket of her bag. "Lemme drive you home. You can't walk that far."

"Oh I'm not walking home… I'm… gonna go eat rocks… because, well, frankly that's what I'd rather be doing."

And with that she walked off.

"Ouch."


	4. Chapter 4

**AN Thanks for the reviews. They make me squee. I know it's short but I'll try to update soon. Plus, I'll state whose P.O.V. it is from now on because there was some confusion. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Chapter 4 – Veronica's P.O.V.**

Used to be, Friday nights I would come home, get my homework done, turn on TGIF and chillax.

But since TGIF has gone to hell, my alternative is snapping pictures of straying husbands slinking out of their rooms at the Camelot in dingy bathrobes for a trip to the ice machine.

So I started to dig into a corner pocket of my bag for an extra roll of film and came across…

Ta. Da.

Logan's credit card. Mocking me.

_What an insolent little…_

And so that's how I ended up here, instead of watching my Saturday morning cartoons. Sneaking in through the Echolls front gate with the flower delivery truck that disappeared around the back.

I rang the bell and waited a few minutes for a maid or someone to come around. When in a few minutes no one did, I rang again, this time more contemptuously, and I'm pretty sure it came across in the bell, because that's when Logan's head popped out.

"Huh?" he greeted me.

"You real cute, you know that?" I scoffed.

He blinked in confusion for a few minutes. "Thanks. I exfoliate weekly."

"Uh, actually. I was talking about this," I replied, raising my hand with the credit card wedged between two fingers.

"Oh. That."

"Why do you insist on being an absolute jackass?"

"Hey, many people find that endearing about me…"

"Really? Did you know many people wanna strangle you sometimes?"

"Veronica, I'm really not in the mood for this, can we just talk on Monday?"

"No, I'm not—"

"LOGAN!" a voice boomed from inside and Logan quickly opened the door wide as his father walked up to him.

Noticing me there his face softened and Aaron Echolls smiled at me. "Veronica… haven't seen much of you lately…"

"Yeah, we were just going out to lunch," Logan threw in, looking down at his shoes. He was suddenly very pale and I didn't know what to say.

"Oh, well… I heard what this little nimrod did to your car… he has a warped sense of humor," Mr. Echolls said, lightly slapping Logan on his head. He winced and blinked a few times, still staring at his shoes. "He'll take care of it, right Logan?"

"Uh, yeah. I already told her I would," he mumbled.

"All right, well. You kids have fun."

To Logan he added, "We'll talk later."

Gingerly, Logan stepped outside and scratched his head. "So how'd you even get here?"

"Two buses and a cab… I was feeling very righteous."

He smiled and dug his hands into his pockets, "Hey I know you think the money is a big insult or whatever… but look, you gotta take it. Or it'll make the old man look bad…"

When I didn't say anything he added, "Can't have that."

"Uh, yeah… I was regretting being so damn proud anyway. There'd be a lot of work on my part to pay it off…"

"Yeah…" he scratched his head again "Uh…sorry…"

I shrugged and started taking a few steps away from the door as he followed.

"So I guess I'll drive you home. If you're not too busy eating rocks."

"I thought we were going out to lunch?"

"Why Mizz Mars… could it be you're starting to enjoy my company?"

"No… I'm just hungry. Like I said, I was far too righteously indignant this morning to eat breakfast."

"Oh kids say the darndest things…"

"So… do we call a cab or something?"

"No worries," he smirked and jingled his keys on a finger. "Got my car back."

"Already?"

"What can I say… my daddy loves me…"


	5. Chapter 5

**AN Hello, folks. Sorry about the events and the shortness of this chapter. I can still promise plenty of L/V interraction but I can't promise them getting together very quickly. I want to make it reasonably realistic.  
**

**Chapter 5 — Logan's P.O.V.**

"I'm sorry, can we have this with no mayo, please?" Veronica asked for me because I'd already shoved fries into my mouth. After dropping her rust bucket off at a mechanic's we'd stopped at a burger joint, and I was starving.

"Wait, wait," I mumbled to the waitress, washing down the fries with my Coke. "It's fine."

"Uh, okay," she raised an eyebrow after the waitress had left. "Last I remember you hate mayonnaise."

"Things change." 

"During one of the days Mrs. Geller let us write free response journals in eighth grade, you wrote an Anti-Mayo Manifesto."

"Things change a lot," I shrugged taking a bite of my burger. When the gushy, mayo lathered crap rolled around my tongue, I suddenly regretted my inexplicable bravado, and wondered why I'd even lied.

She rolled her eyes and handed me a napkin.

I spat out the food and sipped my coke. "I just wanted fries anyway…"

There was something about her pretending that everything was the same that just bothered me. 

Veronica grabbed a packet each of salt and pepper, ripped them open, and poured them into a mound mixing them with her pinki finger.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked and as she licked the blend off her finger.

She grinned and grabbed a fry, dipping it into the little mound and pointing it at me.

"Salt-n-pepper dip. Try it."

"Uh, I'll pass."

"Trust me."

"Yeah, that's what I should do," I rolled my eyes.

She tilted her head to the side and frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"What does it sound like it means?"

Sighing, she slowly shook her head and looked down at her burger.

I took a fry and dipped it into the salt-n-pepper mound, and she raised her eyebrows hopefully as I bit into it.

"What do you think?"

"I think… I can't believe you let me put that into my mouth," I mumbled, spitting it out into a napkin.

She sighed again, her shoulders slumped. "I can't win with you, can I?"

"Look, there's no use pretending it's all the same, Veronica," I told her. It was harsh but I was just being honest. "We're not friends. You're here because I just did you a favor—"

"_A favor!_ You bashed up my car, you prick!"

"First of all that in itself was a favor—"

"Oh whatever."

"And what about you putting a bong in my locker?"

"What about you tormenting me for an entire year?"

"Oh, that again," I replied passively. "Broken record much?"

"Yeah it was nothing to you, but it sucked from my end of the deal"

"Look at me… I'm playing the world's tiniest violin…"

"Logan, first of all, you're an idiot," she retorted, slinging her messenger bag over her shoulder and getting up. "And second, you know I'm not here because you did me any favors."

I got up to follow her as she maneuvered her way around the tables in the outdoor seating area. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"What does it sound like it means?"

"Hey, Veronica!" I grab her arm and turned her to face me. "What the hell are you talking about?"

She looked me pointedly in the eye and said, "I don't know, I got the feeling you didn't want to be at home."

She started to turn away when I pulled her back.

"Hey, whatever you think you know, trust me, you don't know anything. And I don't need you pretending everything's the same and that you know what's going on in my life or that you know how I like my Goddamn burgers—"

"Let go of me—"

"And I don't need your pity, and I don't need your company. In fact I'm pretty sure I don't need you at all."

And with that I let go. Veronica looked at me for a second before blinking and shaking her head at me.

She'd already started to walk quickly away when I realized she still needed a ride home.

"Hey! Wait!" I called out.

"What?" She snapped her head back sharply and glared at me.

"I still have to drive you home."

"Yeah, I just remembered. I don't need you either."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 — Veronica's P.O.V.**

Thursday, the guy's going all Incredible Hulk on my innocent bystander of a car and by Saturday I'm trying to share pleasantries over lunch with him.

_Well, kids. I guess the Apocalypse is starting up a little earlier than scheduled._

I could already hear the screeching of people being slaughtered. _Oh no, that's just the sound of his voice._

"Veronica, get in the car," Logan commanded from his obnoxious canary of a car as he strolled by me. I'd already called Wallace but there was no answer so I started off for the nearest bus stop.

"No."

"Come on, get in the car." A car honked behind him but he ignored it. 

"Nuh-uh."

"What are you gonna, walk home?"

"Well from what I hear, I'm quite familiar with walking the streets."

"I'm sorry about the lewd and suggestive comments I may have made about you in the past," he deadpanned. "Now just get in the damn car."

I paused to raise a finger to my mouth and considered his offer. "_Uummm,_ no."

The car behind the X-Terra abruptly swerved around him and zoomed by with the word "Asshole!" lingering behind it.

"Aw. You made a new friend."

"Veronica, please. If my dad finds out I just left you here, you know I'm gonna be in trouble," he said pleadingly and I found myself halting in my step and turning to him.

"Well, according to you Logan, I don't know anything about you."

He sighed in frustration, "Look, sorry I snapped. But I know what your little P.I. brain was whirring up and trust me you're exaggerating. I'm just afraid I'll lose this car."

_Okay. Maybe my Nancy Drew instincts were a tad bit into overdrive. I guess._

_But still, a girl has nothing to go on but her instincts._

"And I should be so worried that you'll lose your car?"

"Well, I'll be mighty miffed if I lose this car twice in one week. And you know how I get all Incredible Hulk when I'm miffed."

_Yeah, no kidding._

Just when I was considering getting in the car, my phone rang. "Hello?"

"Uh, hi," greeted Wallace. "Someone called here?"

"Uh, hey, Wallace. It's Veronica Mars. From—"

"I remember who you are, Veronica," he chuckled on the other end of the phone. "What do you need?"

"Well, Wallace. Buddy, friend, comrade, homeboy…" I catch Logan smirk from the corner of my eye. "I was wondering if I could call in that favor…"

"Sure."

"I'm a little bit stranded outside Neptune. Corner of Spade and Holmes…"

"Uhuh. And you need a ride?"

"Dude, I'm working on a friendship bracelet as we speak."

"I would like a blue and purple one. And it should be done by the time I get there."

"You're the shiznit!" I tell him before hanging up the phone.

"Okay, Logan. You're off the hook. My ride should be here in about a half an hour."

He just looked at me blankly while more cars drove around him, honking and shouting out profanities.

"Shoo, boy. You're causing a disturbance."

He shook his head and turned to face the road, starting up his car. And as the tinted window slowly rolled up I heard a dejected, "Goodbye, Veronica Mars."

**Logan's P.O.V.**

Jason Bates loves dogs, French food, and the O.C. As he tells it, it's his guilty pleasure. Jason Bates likes pineapple on his pizza, playing tennis, and listens to Coldplay.

_What a queer._

But more and more it seems Jason Bates is leaving his own little fan club at the 09er table progressively earlier to make polite conversation with one, Veronica Mars. By Friday, he didn't even stop by our table.

_Hm. I do believe there's a development. And as usual it's not in her bra._

"Okay, so we're stuck here with stale pineapple on our pizza and he's off chatting _her_ up?" Madison observed "What the fuck?"

"Perhaps some investigation is in order," I replied, getting up and heading to the corner table where Veronica was laughing at whatever witty anecdote Jason Bates just shared. Dick, ever the loyal lapdog, followed.

As I neared the table I framed the wholesome image in the square formed by my thumbs and index fingers. "Kuchunck!" I imitated the noise of a camera flash.

"I call it, '_Skank From Wrong Side of The Tracks'_."

She smirked and mimicked me. "I call it, 'Boy with Small-Penis Complex'."

"Ha, ha, ha," I seat myself between them. "Aren't you cute?"

"Thanks, I exfoliate weekly."

"So uh… I came to extend an invite to you, Jason Bates. I'm hosting a little get-together tomorrow night…"

"Yeah, uh… Shelley told me about it," he smiled and gestured towards Veronica. "I was just inviting Veronica to go with me…"

"And I was just telling him that I'd rather tap dance on an anthill."

"Well you're welcome to share your tap-dancing skills with us tomorrow night, Mizz Mars. My father's beach house."

"The one that's being renovated?" her forehead compressed into tiny wrinkles.

"I don't know if I should be flattered or creeped out that you make it a point to know all about me…"

"Logan, you're just gonna get yourself in trouble…" she warned.

"Lucky that my daddy loves me, then," I retorted, closing the subject and retrieving a pack of M&M's from my pocket and offering them to her. "M&M's?"

"I was advised long ago not to take candy from strangers."

I clutched my chest in mock horror, "Ouch, Veronica. I have feelings too, you know."

"That's nice."

"In a way I'm a lot like an M&M… tough, hard exterior, but gooey on the inside," I smirked and raised my eyebrows at her. "Plus I'll melt in your mouth not your hands…. Well actually, it all depends on what you're doing…"

"From what I hear, you tend to melt right out of the package…" she grinned, rolling her eyes. "Denying a girl all the pleasure chocolate is supposed to provide." 

"Why are we talking about M&M's so much?" Dick asked, squinting in confusion as he stood behind me.

I shook my head and got up, "So I'll be seeing you both tomorrow?"

Jason nodded and turned to Veronica who sighed and mumbled a "Sure."

"Oooh boy, do I have a journal entry for tonight!" I added before heading back to the 09er table.


	7. Chapter 7

This is a long one and (I'm sorry but) sort of disappointing because of a lack of Logan, but I needed to get some background out of the way. Promise LoVe interaction in the upcoming few chapters and plenty of it! (Oh, and look for the hidden Seinfeld reference)

Hope you guys enjoy, anyway. 

**Chapter 7******

**Veronica's P.O.V.**

"Come on, Wallace…"

"Nope."

"Please…"

"Nuh-uh."

"You've made a powerful enemy today," I pouted spitefully into the phone. "Seriously."

"Hey, no functioning bicycle needs a third wheel."

"Me and Jason are not a bicycle. And if we were a bicycle, you wouldn't be a third wheel… You'd be a training wheel…"

He paused. "I know I'm the one who bought it up but the metaphor is totally lost on me…"

"Never mind that, you'd be my wingman," I replied in frustration, looking for my black tank top in my hurricane of a closet. "So when he starts talking about how fascinated George Washington Carver was with the peanut, I'd tap my head and you'd come to my rescue."

"That is, after all, what I live for."

"Hey what do you think of pairing a black tank top with your average rusty blue jeans? I'm going for 'Tough Cookie' but I'm concerned this might be a detour into 'Biker Chick Land'."

I could almost hear him blinking nervously on the other end of the phone. "Uh, Veronica?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna say this once and I never wanna have to say it again, okay? So you listen… I'm a _boy_… with the boy _parts_ and everything."

I rolled my eyes and couldn't help smiling. "Uhuh."

"Now if you need cheat codes for _Grand Theft Auto_, I'd be happy to oblige but do not come to me for fashion advice."

"What if I do my hair in pigtails? Do you think the juxtaposition would go over well?"

He sighed and chuckled lightly into the phone. "That sounds adorable. Now you scamper off to the party with Jason. I have a three way with an X-Box and a Juice-box waiting for me."

"I love the way boys phrase things." I replied, laughing and hanging up the phone. Five minutes later I found myself dialing Wallace's number again.

"Hello?"

"How about a gray plaid skirt instead? No pigtails, though. I'm thinking standard issue ponytail…."

"I'm gonna hang up now," he deadpanned. 

"I expected as much—" I said, interrupted by the knocking on the door. "Crap, he's here!"

"Wasn't he supposed to pick you up at nine?"

"Yes, but it's nine!"

"Yeah. I'm gonna go decode that. Later."

"Adios."

Of course because of Jason's annoying punctuality I fell over quickly changing into the skirt as I ran for the door. And I had no choice but to introduce him to my dad, who was just about to head out to catch his 9:45 flight to Chicago and would have otherwise missed him. And of course my dad had to make that joke that my old boyfriend had died tragically with an accident involving the Mars shotgun.

I rolled my eyes and led him away to his car as he smiled nervously at Papa Mars.

"Bye, daddy!" I called out, hopping into the passenger side of Jason's S.U.V. as he followed.

"Well I guess that's my obligatory embarrassing parent moment," I said as he put the key into ignition.

"Oh don't worry…. It could be worse," he smiled, turning to me. "When you meet my dad I can almost guarantee he'll be wearing biker shorts."

"Oooh… that _is_ worse."

(-)

Logan's beach house was haphazardly decorated with an assortment of twinkling lights slung onto random boards and construction tools. A few doors were standing detached from the rooms but that didn't stop several of the guests from making themselves at home. By the time Jason and I got there, the place already reeked of beer, vomit and Chex mix and I wondered what I was doing there as we walked from room to room, him sipping his beer and me clutching the bottle of water I'd bought with me.

We wandered onto a balcony in one of the bedrooms that provided a perfect view of the moonlit beach.

"So I've been trying to play it really cool…" Jason began.

"Well, you were doing fine until you said that."

He chuckled. "Yeah… I just gotta ask. I know it's not my business or anything but…"

"But?"

"Well… what's your deal with Logan Echolls? Did you guys, like, date or somethi—"

"What! No. _Ew_. No!"

"So, no?"

"No."

"Well… sorry, but there's… a vibe…"

I sighed and shook my head, not wanting to relay the whole sordid story to him, but I suppose I had no choice.

"Chances are… you know the story…"

He furrowed his brow and shook his head.

"We were… friends… really close friends. While I was dating Duncan…"

"Kane?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Surprising…"

I frowned "Why?"

"Well—I just thought… I mean all your underlying subtext lies with… Logan."

"Oh… well were sort of a tight knit group. Us and Duncan's sister Lilly…"

"Lilly Kane? That… _oh_"

He turned to face me.

"Yeah…" I shrugged and offered him a tight smile "And remember the bumbling sheriff? Keith…"

"Mars…" he finished, realizing who I was.

"Yeah… the four of us… I mean, me and Duncan and Logan with Lilly… it was perfect," I sighed and looked out into the ocean. "And then… well, you know the rest…"

He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry…"

I simply shrugged again in response.

"Still, I mean," he added "With Logan acting the way he does… doesn't it bother you?"

"Uh, sometimes… but… I don't know. I guess he has his warped way of dealing with everything. I mean, he went through a lot too… and well, maybe I've just known him too long."

I paused, surprised at all I'd disclosed but Jason didn't seem bothered.

"It's little things that bug me sometimes," I heard myself saying. "I mean, even before Duncan and Lilly, me and Logan were friends… you know, drumsticks?"

"The ice-cream cones?"

"Yeah… yeah. Our soccer teams shared the field, right? And after practice they would sometimes give us drumsticks and I would chip off the nuts and give them to Logan and he would give me the chocolate chunk at the bottom…"

"That's the best part—"

"_I know_!" I replied, sounding way too excited at the memory "…anyway…can't have those anymore..."

He smiled as I shook my head, startled by everything I'd said and suddenly feeling very nervous. "So…uh, your turn to make an idiot of yourself?"

"Ready and willing…"

"You've… sat at the 09er table occasionally…"

"Mhhm."

"And I'm sure my name's gotten thrown around here and there…"

"Well aren't we self-involved?"

"And I'm sure it wasn't in the best context," I added, ignoring him.

He sighed and dug his hands into his pockets. "Not exactly."

"So… explain to me why you're disregarding the whole student body's opinion of Veronica Mars and talking to me instead of the cool kids…"

Jason pursed his lips thoughtfully and smiled down at me. "You know the best thing about moving around all the time, Veronica?"

I shook my head to indicate a 'no'.

"You never really worry about pissing off the cool kids… cuz chances are you'll be gone soon," he shrugged. "So you get to do what you really want to do… which is being here. Talking to you."

"Oh," I replied stupidly.

He grinned. "Oh, and just F.Y.I…. not everyone has the worst to say about you. There're plenty of kids who think you're pretty awesome."

"Who are these kids?" I gasped "Because I wanna build a shrine to every single one of them."

Jason smiled again and rested his hand on my shoulder, nervously darting his face closer to mine.

"_Awww_. Aren't puppies cute!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Logan's P.O.V.

"Awww. Aren't puppies cute!" she leapt away from Jason and he frowned irritably at me.

_Oops._

"Gosh, I… didn't ruin the moment, now did I?"

"Kinda!" he retorted. Veronica tugged at her ear in discomfort, a nervous habit of hers since we were kids.

"Well I was just concerned that, uh, you two kids weren't socializing with the rest of the guests… but I guess I'll just get out of your hair," I shrugged and turned around. "And what good hair it is."

I started to leave and paused mid-step, feeling a grin spread across my face as I dug my hand into my pocket. Fishing out a condom I turned and threw it Jason's way.

"Remember. _No Glove, No Love_."

"Dude, what the hell is your problem?" he replied in frustration, flicking it back at me.

"Hey, man, I'm just concerned for your health…"

"Just get out of here, Logan."

"Aye, aye, Master Bates," I conceded, along with a salute.

"That was cheap," she mumbled, crossing her arms.

"You would know."

"Alright, that's it," Jason snapped, grabbing me by the collar and shoving me backwards. "Leave her the hell alone!"

"Oh, fuck off!" I pushed him off of me and glanced her way. "You don't know a thing about her…"

I felt a sudden, stinging pain in my side and turned to walk away. "The girl's a walking disaster… I'm doing you a favor…"

I left the two of them awkwardly standing apart at the balcony and found my way to the downstairs bathroom, where I knew there was a First Aid Kit left by the construction workers.

I walked uneasily into it and winced in discomfort as I started to take my shirt off, when suddenly, Veronica Mars burst theatrically into the bathroom slamming the door behind her.

"_Jesus Christ_, Mars! Can't a guy have some goddamn privacy!" I hastily pulled my shirt back down and glared at her. "I'll give you a peak later. Hell, if you give me a minute and wait outside like a good little girl, I'll even let you blow me."

She crossed her arms and gritted her teeth at me. "You know… it doesn't even bother me anymore… the way Duncan acts… I mean, contrary to popular opinion, I'm over it."

"Uh… okay," I rolled my eyes at her "…well, congratulations. You've earned the Oprah seal of Empowerment. Use it wisely."

"But you," she continued, ignoring me. "You I can't get over because you just live to make my life miserable!"

"Oh don't flatter yourself. It's just a perk."

"WHY!" she yelled. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and I took a deep breath.

"Relax. I'm sure Jason will still let you have your way with him…"

"It's not about him, Logan! It's about you and—"

"Well then you're really expending a lot of energy on a guy you claim to hate, aren't you!"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"I—It means nothing…" I mumbled. "Just get out. I have to powder my nose."

She stood there stupidly for a second and frowned at me.

"Come on now, mush. _Mush_!"

"Fine. Just…" she trailed off and shook her head at me before turning around and reaching for the doorknob.

She twisted and tugged at it and suddenly snapped her head back at me in shock.

This is about the time I remembered that the locks on some of the doors were screwy. As in, _didn't quite work from the inside_, screwy.

I ran up behind her and we both again desperately twisted the doorknob in vain before stopping and turning our heads to one another in doomed realization.

"_NO!_"

Our mutual scream drifted out and got lost among the half foot of concrete and the blaring music of the party outside.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: I_ really_ don't like this chapter... I've been having a little Writer's block when it comes to this story... but I wanted to post something. So here it is. Oh, and I made Logan Jewish in this fic… for no major reason, really. Just a joke.

**Chapter 9**

Veronica's P.O.V.

He rolled the pipe along the floor with his fingers and then stopped it, pushing it back the other way. Back and forth, over and over again.

Raising his head, he glanced at me and tapped his head backwards on the edge of the sink as he sat, leaning against the cabinet doors. He clicked his tongue in boredom and continued to push the pipe back and forth as he tapped his head.

"You know," he said abruptly, facing me as I sat against the wall across from him. "I still have to tinkle."

"That's unfortunate."

"Not really considering where we are."

"_Really_, considering who you're with."

"You know, this endangers my health. My kidneys could burst."

"Okay nimrod, you would piss yourself way before you got to that point. That being said, your health is the least of my concerns."

"It happened on _The Simpsons_," he warned.

"Oh, in that case," I paused, resting a finger thoughtfully on the edge of my mouth. "Um… no?"

"Oh, Jesus Christ! Can you give me a little bit of a break!"

"First of all, stop that. You're Jewish—"

"Oy vey, Yahweh! Can you give me a schtikel of a break!"

I stopped and suddenly burst into laughter. Logan stared at me, a bit dumbfounded and this only made me laugh harder.

"Are you admiring my wit?" he asked, smiling victoriously and shaking his head at me. "I knew you thought I was clever. Saw you biting back a smirk when I made that Master Bates crack…"

I shook my head, still giggling.

"I'm admiring the absurdity of the situation." I finally answered, between chuckles. "I mean, I, Veronica Mars, _Outsider Supreme_, am at an 09er party, and so far Rod Sterling hasn't even made an appearance."

He grinned and rolled the pipe my way.

"Oh and after months of relative isolation turns out there's a guy here—a really great one—who likes me" I continued, catching the pipe between my fingers and rolling it back to him "…and I'm trapped in the bathroom with Logan Echolls while he practices his Yiddish. Life has a way of surprising you…"

"Great-a _great_ guy! Good Moses, what's so _great_ about him?"

"Um… he's nothing like you," I smiled graciously, catching the pipe as he returned.

Logan feigned an exaggerated expression of hurt and mimed an arrow reaching his chest before deadpanning a "Bite me."

"Hey, I came to this party without Hepatitis and that's how I'm planning on leaving," I retorted, cocking my head challengingly to the side. 

"I don't why you're being so huffy over this. You don't even like this guy—"

"Excuse me?"

"He's not your type—"

I imitated a car break and indicated towards my ear. "Uh, come again?"

"He's. Not. Your. Type."

"Okay, this just reached a whole new zone of twilight. Explain to me how _you_ would know _my_ type."

"Yeah, okay. Maybe he's _Old School Veronica_'s type. But not _yours_."

"Hi. Same person," I retorted, with a mock wave.

"No. Not same person." He leaned forward emphatically. "He's naive, sweet Veronica's type—not new, edgy, flippy-haired… _Velvet Underground_ T-Shirt wearing, Veronica's type."

"Aw, you notice my T-Shirts," I replied with a sugary smile. "How… alarmed am I."

"And he might be queer," he added, ignoring me. 

"And you would know that because your eyes are always peeled for a potential prospect?"

"Wanna know how I know he's gay? He likes Coldplay."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Logan Echolls. All pop-culture references. No substance."

"I keep all my substance here," he smirked, grabbing at his crotch. "Geddit? I was referring to the large size of my penis."

I shook my head at him and chuckled, ignoring his last remark. "Where's that from anyway?"

"_40 Year Old Virgin_."

"Oh."

We fell into an awkward silence again, the only sound being the pipe rolling back and forth between us for a few minutes and the faraway noise of the party outside.

"_Coldplay_ isn't that bad," I said finally. "I kinda like them."

"You shame your _Velvet Underground_ T-Shirt."

"Chris Martin could even be evocative of some later Lou Reed stuff—"

"You shut your mouth! Lou Reed is a god!"

"Okay, I'm reaching."

"Yeah, no shit. Seriously wash out your mouth with some soap—"

"Whatever!" I snapped. "It doesn't matter what kind of music we listen to… the point is I like him."

"Oh, you do not," he remarked passively. "You just like that he's nice to you… cause, well…. no one else is."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Yeah and whose fault is that?"

"Um, yours?"

I scoffed and turned my head to the side, catching our little peace pipe as it rolled my way and tossing it to the corner.

Logan's P.O.V.

I took out a packet of Juicy fruit from my pocket and she eyed it briefly before snapping her head back to the wall and pouting, her arms still crossed in annoyance. Leaning forward, I offered her a stick of gum.

"Truce?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. "Call it an olive branch."

She looked at it suspiciously for a moment before finally taking one. 

"Thanks," she mumbled, returning her gaze to the wall as she popped it in her mouth.

I sighed and rolled my eyes but I don't think she noticed. "If it's any consolation… I can't eat Drumsticks either…"

She blushed and looked down at her hand, an embarrassed smile spreading across her face. "You heard that, huh?"

"Yeah…"

Veronica looked down again and darted her eyes up at me. She tucked a lock of hair nervously behind her ear.

"Um… Logan?" she began, apprehensively.

"Yeah?"

"You know what I hate about Juicy Fruit? Loses its flavor in about three seconds…" she blurted, shaking her head and spitting it out into the wrapper. 

"Uh, you want another one?"

"No, I, uh… that's not what I was gonna say," she paused. "Are you… um, are you okay? I mean, are you hurt?"

"What?"

She nodded towards the First Aid Kit on the counter behind me.

"Oh nothing gets by you," I retorted, looking down at my lap.

"It's kinda what I'm known for."

"Oh, no V. You're known for your talent for a hand-job."

"Don't be a jackass," she scoffed.

"It's kinda what I'm known for."

"Logan—"

"Drop it."

And we fell back again into an awkward silence.


End file.
